Reyes

Since February, a fellow volunteer of the La Paz Red Cross, Mauricio, had been working in Reyes on a project called “the rehabilitation of living conditions of those affected by the floods”. Reyes is a small town in Beni, north of the country, where the weather is warm all year around and the fauna and flora are stunning. Volunteers had been sent on a weekly basis as of early July to help with workshops and logistics, and a mere two days after we finished the PPPD course, I was invited to go with the next group!

Luisa, Adriana, Rosario and I (see photo on the left) took off Sunday and were meant to stay a week, but Adriana and I – because we could and there was work left to do – ended up staying for two. Upon arrival we met up with Alejandro, Victor and Pepe and immediately got to work to prepare and carry out the operative of distribution of humanitarian assistance - on the right you can see me at my table during the operative, checking someone's ID to make sure they were on the community list before giving the go-ahead for them to get the buckets full of schtuff (i.e. humanitarian assistance). Then over the course of the following week (or in Adri and my case, two weeks) we went into communities to teach Basic First Aid, Education in Community Health, and Prevention and Preparation for Disasters, did inventory, helped Mauricio with some administrative work, and enjoyed the hammocks during the mandatory 2h30 lunch breaks.

We also made time – mostly on weekends – to go to Copaiba, San Buen Aventura, and Rurrenabaque. That area of the country is absolutely stunning, and the Madidi National Park is around the corner… Must go back.

Ooh and on our way back to La Paz, Adri and I bought a little chick-bird. Named it Yatzo-Camilo-San. He did very well during the 18h busride and adapted beautifully to his new environment at the La Paz Red Cross… until, under mysterious circumstances, the normally slow, passive, toothless dog apparently snapped his neck. Tragic! But his memory lives on. *Moment of silence*

[Will try to post more pictures later but Blogger seems to have reached it's limit for this post... If you want pics of me teaching in communities, Yatzo Camilo San or just more field work, let me know!]